Study: female-looking AI agents paid 10.25% less than male-looking ones in VR office
A University of Limerick-co-authored study found that people paid a female-presenting AI assistant less than a male-presenting one doing the same work in a virtual reality office.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 1A study co-authored by Dr Mary Hausfeld of the University of Limerick's Kemmy Business School found that participants paid female-looking AI agents less than male-looking ones for the same work. The Irish TimesLC “It was co-authored by Dr Mary Hausfeld of UL’s Kemmy Business School.”“AI agents with a female appearance were paid less than their male-presenting counterparts, despite using the same underlying technology, according to the research.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1Researchers placed 189 workers in a virtual reality office and had them complete work tasks with different AI assistants, including human-like agents presented as male or female. The Irish TimesLC “Researchers placed 189 workers in a virtual reality office and asked them to complete work-related tasks with different AI assistants” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1Participants were given real money to divide between themselves and the assistant, which the researchers said let them recreate a real-world transaction and examine how much people would pay AI for its work. The Irish TimesLC “Participants were then given real money to divide between themselves and the AI assistant for completing the tasks” Read at The Irish Times ↗
Left · 1The male-presenting agent, Johan, received higher rewards than the female-presenting agent, Johanna, who was paid 10.25 per cent less for the same work; Johan was also seen as more human-like. The Irish TimesLC “Johanna was paid 10.25 per cent less than Johan for completing the same work.”“The male agent was also perceived as more human-like.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1Participants said they had no preference for a female or male AI, but the study says their behaviour told a different story. The Irish TimesLC “Participants also suggested they had no preference for an AI with female or male attributes, but “their behaviour told a different story”.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1The study was part of a wider investigation into how human-like AI appearance affects workplace interaction; participants trusted human-like assistants more and credited them more than a robot, though all ran on the same AI. The Irish TimesLC “participants trusted the human-like assistants more and gave them more credit for their contribution than the robot.” Read at The Irish Times ↗
Left · 1Hausfeld said the technology was identical yet people treated the agents differently, that design choices can activate existing biases, and that designers should avoid reproducing inequalities in a new setting. The Irish TimesLC ““We often think of AI as being neutral, but the way we design and present these systems can activate those same assumptions and biases that exist in our interactions with other people.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1The paper, 'Human-Like and Male? How AI Assistant Design Relates to Trust and Monetary Reward at Work in VR', involves University of Zurich researchers, Hausfeld and SKEMA Business School's Anand van Zelderen, and is being presented at the 14th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction in Vaasa, Finland, from 5 to 7 October, with publication by the ACM. The Irish TimesLC “will be presented at the 14th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction in Vaasa, Finland, from October 5th to 7th.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Right · 1The Irish Independent also reported the research, under a headline saying female AI agents were 'paid' less. Irish IndependentRC “New University of Limerick research finds female AI agents ‘paid’ less” Read at Irish Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Irish Times reports the findings in detail as evidence that workplace gender bias can carry over to AI, leading with the researchers' conclusion.
- Emphasis
- The 10.25% gap, the 189 participants, Hausfeld's quotes on design and bias.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No outside experts or limitations of the study.
- Charged language
- “told a different story”
- For example
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“Gender bias in the workplace can be replicated in interactions with artificial intelligence” — The Irish Times
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Irish Independent headline presents it as new University of Limerick research, putting 'paid' in quotation marks to signal the payment was simulated.
- Emphasis
- The university's research and the pay gap for female agents.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Article body not assessed; no detail beyond the headline.
- Charged language
- “‘paid’”
- For example
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“New University of Limerick research finds female AI agents ‘paid’ less” — Irish Independent
What every side reports
- University of Limerick research found female-presenting AI agents were 'paid' less than male ones.
Left1 article
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Female-looking AI agents were paid less than male ones in virtual office, study finds
Neutral Straightforward research report relaying the study's findings and the lead author's concerns about bias in AI design.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
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New University of Limerick research finds female AI agents ‘paid’ less
Neutral Headline frames it as new university research, with 'paid' in scare quotes.
- 5 Oct 17:12 First The Irish TimesLC Female-looking AI agents were paid less than male ones in virtual office, study finds
- 6 Oct 12:00 +18h 48m Irish IndependentRC New University of Limerick research finds female AI agents ‘paid’ less
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.